Calculating Areas

You can calculate and display the area and perimeter of a sequence of points or of any of several types of objects. If you need to calculate the combined area of more than one object, you can keep a running total as you add or subtract one area at a time from the selection set. You cannot use window selection or crossing selection to select objects.

Calculating a Defined Area

You can measure an arbitrary closed region defined by the points you specify. The points must lie on a plane parallel to the XY plane of the current UCS.

Calculating the Area Enclosed by an Object

You can calculate the enclosed area and perimeter or circumference of circles, ellipses, polylines, polygons, and two-dimensional solids. The displayed information differs according to the type of object you select:

• Circles, ellipses, 2D solids, and planar closed spline curves - area and circumference are displayed.
• Closed polylines and polygons - area and perimeter are displayed. For wide polylines, this area is defined by the center of the width.
• Open objects such as open spline curves and open polylines - area and length are displayed. The area is computed as though a straight line connected the start point and endpoint.

Example: How Various Areas Are Calculated

Calculating Combined Areas

You can measure more than one area, either by specifying points or by selecting objects. For example, you can measure the total area of selected rooms in a floor plan.

Subtracting Areas from Combined Areas

You can subtract one or more areas from a combined area that you have already calculated. In the example, the area of the floor plan is first calculated, and then a room is subtracted.

Example: Subtraction of Areas from a Calculation